This invention relates to lading carrying pallets that can be rolled into a lading carrying container or the like and more particularly to a pallet/frame structure for carrying sheets of steel.
Pallets for carrying lading are well known and widely used. A rollable load-and-roll style pallet is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,000. The pallet disclosed in that patent is generally rectangular and elongated, with a roller front end, a fork lift back end, a pair of sides and a top surface. The pallet as disclosed has a frame construction which includes an elongated center I-beam that extends from one end to the other, a flat wooden deck that forms the upper or lading engaging surface which rests on the frame and I-beam, supports for engaging the lading-container floor and pair of front rollers. Thirty-five references are cited in that patent which disclose various types of systems.
Another type of load-and-roll style pallet is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,813. The pallet disclosed therein includes a well or depression within which a steel coil can rest for securement and shipment. This well is generally transverse to the direction of the shipment so that the coil axis is also transverse. The coil is placed on the pallet and then the pallet and coil are loaded on a flat bed trailer or similar surface. Rollers are on the pallet at one side and the forklift receiving pockets are on the opposite side.
Often steel is to be shipped in the form of flat sheets (e.g. 4xe2x80x2xc3x9716xe2x80x2, or 6xe2x80x2xc3x9716xe2x80x2 etc.) rather than coils. The ability to pre-load the pallet with the sheets and then efficiently load it into or onto a lading carrier is important.
The pallet disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,813 is designed for coils, includes a coil receiving depression and maybe too small for larger sheets. The pallet disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,000 is flat so it can carry sheets but has a wooden decking over a frame, is heavy to lift and may not include a frame that is structurally sufficient for very heavy loads.
Moreover, after shipment when the pallets are unloaded they are shipped back to the point of origin or elsewhere for reloading. The existing pallets can be relatively thick and only a few pallets can be stacked one-on-one another for shipping.
An object of this invention is to provide a load-and-roll style pallet that is of a light weight construction.
Another object is to provide a load-and-roll style pallet that is constructed to carry heavy loads of large sheet steel.
Yet another object is to provide a load-and-roll style pallet that it is sufficiently flexible to receive loads of various widths.
A further object of the invention is to provide a load-and-roll style pallet which can be efficiently stacked for return of a maximum number of pallets.
These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims.
There is provided by this invention a load-and-roll style pallet that meets the foregoing objects. The pallet is comparatively light in weight, has only a frame structure and does not have a deck, it is constructed to carry sheet steel lading of various widths and is stackable and nestable for unloaded return shipment.
The pallet is elongated and rectangular and a has a roller at the front end, a back end, a pair of sides, a lading supporting top surface and fork lift tine receiving pockets at the back end and along the sides. The pallet includes two spaced transverse and tubular frame members that extend from one side to the other and are positioned between the ends at about the ⅓ and ⅔ positions lengthwise. The pallet also includes two (2) longitudinal and tubular frame members that extend from one end to the other end, intersect the transverse frame members at substantially right angles and are positioned between the sides at about the ⅓ and ⅔ positions widthwise.
A roller system is located at the front end between the longitudinal frame members and the roller""s axis of rotation is transverse to the longitudinal frame members. The back end of each longitudinal frame member forms a lift pocket for engagement by a forklift tine. Each of the ends of the transverse members define lift pockets for engagement by forklift tines from the sides.
A peripheral arm (which is tubular) extends from each longitudinal frame member at each end outwardly or toward an adjacent pallet side. A plurality of peripheral and tubular side rails extend from the outboard end of each peripheral arm to the adjacent transverse frame member. Side rails also extend between the adjacent ends of the transverse frame members.
Tie down or hold down brackets are secured to the outboard sides of each longitudinal frame member. Angle iron supports and nesting guides are secured to the frame where a longitudinal frame member intersects a transverse frame member and also adjacent the front and back ends. One leg of the angle iron extends above the top surface of the pallet and is used as a guide when the pallets are nested and stacked.
A vertically positioned roller is positioned at each pallet corner for use in guiding pallet into and out of a lading carrying container.